‘Plumber’ says he has no plumbing license

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Joe the Plumber, America's most famous tradesman, said Thursday he doesn't have a license and doesn't need one.

Joe Wurzelbacher, better known as Joe the Plumber, the nickname Republican John McCain bestowed on him during Wednesday's presidential debate, said he works for a small plumbing company that does residential work. Because he works for someone else, he doesn't need a license, he said.

His boss, Al Newell of Newell Plumbing and Heating Co. of Toledo, is a licensed plumbing contractor in Toledo, records show. But anyone working under Newell should have a journeyman’s plumbing license or an apprenticeship license, officials said.

And the county Wurzelbacher and Newell live in, Lucas County, requires plumbers to have licenses, but neither is licensed there, said Cheryl Schimming of Lucas County Building Regulations, which handles plumber licenses in parts of the county outside Toledo.

Wurzelbacher, who voted in the Republican primary and indicated he backed McCain, was cited by the GOP presidential candidate as an example of someone who wants to buy a plumbing business but would be hurt by Democrat Barack Obama's tax plans. Wurzelbacher said he was surprised that his name was mentioned so many other times.

"That bothered me. I wished that they had talked more about issues that are important to Americans," he told reporters gathered outside his home.

'I've got a lot to learn'
Wurzelbacher, 34, said he doesn't have a good plan put together on how he would buy Newell Plumbing and Heating in nearby Toledo.

He said the business consists of owner Al Newell and him. Wurzelbacher said he's worked there for six years and that the two have talked about his taking it over at some point.

"There's a lot I've got to learn," he said.

Wurzelbacher said he started his day with an early morning workout and came back to his suburban Toledo home to do live interviews with TV networks.

Reporters camped out by his house overnight and by midmorning there were 21 people on his driveway surrounding him, holding cameras and notebooks.

He said he was surprised that his name was mentioned so many times during Wednesday night's debate between Obama and McCain. Wurzelbacher talked about his desire for Americans to be informed voters in November. When reporters asked who he was voting for, he politely answered: "At this point I'm not telling anybody anything."

'I'm a flash in the pan'
He said Americans want to know about real issues and probably aren't so interested in 'Joe the Plumber.'

"I’m a flash in the pan, I’m not a megastar," Wurzelbacher said. "I’m not Matt Damon. I’m not any of those guys who have droves of women and men who want to be like them, that say 'Yeah, I’ll vote for him, because Matt Damon said so.'"

Wurzelbacher said he's feeling overwhelmed.

Video   Hey Joe Oct. 16: Who is ‘Joe the Plumber,’ who was mentioned more times than the war in Iraq during the final debate? NBC’s Kevin Tibbles reports from Ohio. Today show

"I'm kind of like Britney Spears having a headache. Everybody wants to know about it," he joked.

In Toledo on Sunday, Wurzelbacher told Obama that he was preparing to buy the plumbing company, which earns more than $250,000 a year, and said: "Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn't it?"

Obama said that under his proposal taxes on any revenue from $250,000 on down would stay the same, but that amounts above that level would be subject to a 39 percent tax, instead of the current 36 percent rate.

Differences with Obama
Wurzelbacher said Obama's tax plan wouldn't affect him right now, because he doesn't make $250,000. "But I hope someday I'll make that," he said.

Video   Obama talks with Joe the plumber Oct. 12: Sen. Barack Obama talks taxes with plumber Joe Wurzelbacher in Holland, Ohio. MSNBC

"If you believed (Obama), I'd be receiving his tax cuts," Wurzelbacher said. "But I don't look at it that way. He'd still be hurting others."

As he leaned against the Dodge Durango SUV parked in his driveway Thursday morning, Wurzelbacher indicated to reporters who crowded around that he was a conservative, a fan of the military and McCain. He said meeting McCain would be an honor but said he hadn't been contacted by the Republican campaign.

Still, the plumber wouldn't say who he was voting for and brushed off a question about whether he could influence the election or other voters.

"I don't have a lot of pull," Wurzelbacher said.

"I just hope I'm not making too much of a fool of myself," he added.

McCain concedes, urges unity with Obama McCain joins Fey to joke on 'SNL' John McCain still has a shot Subscribe to McCain headlines -

Obama elected 44th president Obama campaign head gets big book deal Tears of joy, dancing in streets over Obama win Subscribe to Obama headlines -

MORE FROM THE DEBATES

The debates Section Front

Final debate a lagging indicator of reality McCain goes on attack in final debate Analysis: McCain puts Obama on the defensive Fact check: Candidates again twist truth 'Plumber' says he has no plumbing license Fineman: McCain stock souring in New York? Can John McCain still win? Newsweek: Don't buy the "comeback" script Dan Rather has no kind words for the debates Schieffer to moderate last debate The debates Section Front   Add The debates headlines to your news reader: